Safety for bolt action firearms



Jan. 14, 1958 A. T. BAIERL SAFETY FOR BOLT ACTION FIREARMS 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 4("1956 LII ll IN VEN TOR. Awaer z 5mm;

Jan. 14, 1958 A. T. BAIERL SAFETY FOR BOLT ACTION FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Shet2 Filed May 4. 1956 ATTORNEYS SAFETY FOR BOLT ACTION FIREARMS Albert '1.Baierl, Hayden, Colo.

Application May 4, 1956, Serial No. 582,872 1 Claim. (CI. 42-70) Thisinvention relates generally to firearms, and is more particularlyconcerned with a novel safety device for the reciprocable bolt of afirearm of the character utilized in a Winchester Model 54 rifle, forexample, said novel safety being readily incorporated in theconventional bolt sleeve of such rifles or similar firearms withoutotherwise changing or modifying the rifle or any part thereof, providinga bolt assembly having a safety which is disposed laterally to one sideof said bolt without interfering with the mounting of a telescopic sightlongitudinally of the upper surface of the receiver portion of thefirearm and adjacent the cocking piece of said firearm.

A primary object of invention is to provide in a bolt assembly whichincludes a reciprocable firing pin element, a novel safety which may beincorporated in the conventional bolt assembly without materiallyaltering any of the conventional parts of the firearm, said safety beingdisposed in a readily accessible position adjacent the trigger finger ofa user of the firearm thus permitting ready de-actuation of the safetyto permit firing of the firearm without interference of the safety.

Another object of invention in conformance with that set forth is toprovide in a firearm of the character involved which includes a receiverreciprocably supporting therein a bolt assembly incorporating areciprocable firing pin element, a novel safety which includes arotatable locking pin element journaled transversely of the boltassembly in intersecting relationship relative to the firing pinelement, the firing pin element including a transverse notch portionextending through the outer periphery thereof in alignment with thelocking pin element, said locking pin element including a transversenotch portion overlying the notch portion of the firing pin elementwherein rotation of the locking pin element will prevent reciprocablemovement of the firing pin element and also permit said firing pinelement to reciprocate through the notch portion of the locking pinelement depending on the adjusted position of the locking pin element.

And yet another object of invention in conformance with that set forthis to provide a novel safety for a firearm incorporating a reciprocablebolt assembly incorporating a reciprocable firing pin therein, saidsafety being readily and economically manufactured and installed, easilymaintained, and highly satisfactory, simple in operation, readilyacceptable for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently appaent reside in the details of construction and operationas more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numeralsrefer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a firearm showing thereceiver portion thereof including a reciprocable bolt assembly having areciprocable firing pin element, showing the novel safety installedthereon, said safety being shown in an on position to prevent firing ofthe piece;

2,819,551 Patented Jan. 14, 1258 Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the bolt assembly of Figure 1,with portions broken away and shown in section, showing the safety in anoff position;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the bolt assembly of Figure 3, withportionss broken away and shown in section; 7

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 7-7of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the fragmentary portion of thereceiver portion of a Winchester Model 54 rifle is indicated generallyat 10, said receiver portion reciprocably supporting therein in aconventional manner a bolt assembly 12 incorporating a cocking leverportion 14 and a reciprocable firing pin element 16. The heretoforedescribed parts are conventional accordingly will not be described indetail except to the extent to which they cooperate with the novelsafety device indicated generally at 18.

Referring to Figures 3 through 7 the firing pin element 16 has extendingtransversely through the upper outer peripheral portion thereof anarcuate notch portion 20, see Figures 3 and 6, and the safety device 18includes a cylindrical locking pin element 22 which is journaled in atransverse bore portion 24, see Figure 7, which is in intersectingoverlying relationship relative to the notch portion 20 of the firingpin element 16. The locking pin element 22 includes a transverse notchportion 26, see Figure 5, which is in intersecting relationship relativeto the notch portion 20 of the firing pin element and when disposed inthe position shown in Figures 3 and 5, for example, will permitreciprocable movement of the firing pin element 16 and accordinglyfiring of the firearm. It will be noted that the notch portion 20 of thefiring pin element 16 is of an arcuate configuration permitting thelocking pin element 22 to be readily rotated therein. Additionally, seein Figure 5, the notch portion 26 of the locking pin element 22 is alsoof an arcuate configuration conforming to the outer periphery of thelocking pin element 16 thus permitting ready relative reciprocablemovement of the locking pin element 16 relative to the pin element 26.

The locking pin element 22 includes on one end a laterally extendingfinger-engageable manipulating handle or lever 28 which is laterallydisposed on a side portion of the bolt assembly 12 in a readilyaccessible position relative to the trigger 30 of the firearm, the lever28 having a lower pointer portion 32 indicating the location of thenotch portion 26 of the locking pin element, see Figure 1. When thelever element 28 is located in the position shown by the solid or dottedlines in Figure l, the firing pin will be retained in a relatively fixedposition in the bolt assembly, and when the lever is disposed in theposition shown in Figures 3 and 5, for example, the piece may be readilyfired.

The bolt assembly 12 has extending into the rear end portion 34 thereof,a blind bore portion 36, see Figure 6, substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the firing pin element 16 and in intersectingrelationship relative to the notch portion 26 of the locking pin element22. The blind bore portion 36 has disposed therein a detent assemblycomprising a coil spring 38 and a ball element 40 which is resilientlyurged by the coil spring 38 into engagement with the outer periphery ofa locking pin element 22 and extendable into the notch portion 26 ofsaid locking pin element. The detent assembly aids in preventingaccidental rotation of the lever 28 of the safety device 18 providing aresidual drag on the locking pin element 22. The bore portion 36 isinternally threaded at its rearwardly opening end for receiving thereina suitable screw element 42.

The locking pin element 22 includes at the end portion 44 opposite thelever 28 'an annular groove 46 extending about the outer peripherythereof, see Figures 4 and 7, for example. Said annular groove 46 beingin alignment with an internally threaded bore portion 48 extendinglongitudinally in the bolt assembly 12. The internally threaded boreportion 48 includes therein a lock screw element 50 having a terminalpin portion 52, see Figures 4 and 7, for example, said pin element 52extending into the annular groove 46 of the locking pin element 22 andthus preventing accidental transverse movement of the locking pinelement 22 when the same is being rotated, and also permitting removalof said pin element 22 for replacement, for example.

In view of the foregoing, it is readily apparent that there has beendisclosed a novel safety incorporated with a conventional bolt assemblywhich fully conforms with the objects of invention heretofore set forth.

Various positional directional terms such as outer, rear, etc. utilizedherein to have only relative connotation to aid in describing the deviceand it is not intended to require any particular orientation withrespect to any external elements.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative of the principles of theinvention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a bolt action firearm including a receiver, a reciprocable boltassembly having a reciprocable firing pin element; a safety assemblycomprising a locking pin element journaled on said bolt assemblytransversely of the firing pin element in intersecting relationshiptherewith,

means on said locking pin element extending laterally from the boltassembly for rotating the same, said firing pin element including atransverse notch portion in the outer periphery thereof through whichthe locking pin element extends, said locking pin element including atransverse notch portion through the outer periphery thereof inintersecting relationship with the notch portion of the firing pinelement permitting reciprocable movement of the firing pin elementtherethrough, the notch portion in the firing pin element extending intoan upper surface portion thereof in transverse relationship to thelongitudinal axis of said firing pin element, the notch portion of thelocking pin element extending into a lower surface portion thereof intransverse relation to the longitudinal axis of said locking pinelement, said bolt assembly including a blind bore portion extendinglongitudinally therein in overlying parallel relationship to thelongitudinal axis of the firing pin element in intersecting relationshipto the locking pin element, and a resilient detent assembly disposed inthe blind bore portion engaging the outer periphery of the locking pinelement in alignment with the notch portion therein for tending toretain the locking pin in its various positions of adjustment, said boltassembly including an internally threaded bore portion extendinglongitudinally therein in intersecting relationship with an intermediateportion of the locking pin element, said locking pin element includingan annular groove about the intermediate portion thereof, and a lockscrew element removably received in said internally threaded boreportion and including a terminal pin portion received in the annulargroove of said locking pin element permitting rotation of said lockingpin element and preventing transverse displacement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,648,926 Ackerson Aug. 18, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 858,485 France May 13,1940 696,034 Germany Sept. 9, 1940

